Conventional carry-on luggage and cases are typically hand-carried throughout an airport from places of departure to airplanes, from airplanes to airplanes, and from airplanes to places of arrival. For convenience, separate wheeled frames are often used to serve as a cart onto which the case can be strapped for transport. There are also cases that include incorporated handles and wheels so that the cases can be pulled by the handles, thereby permitting them to be towed about and transported throughout the airport. A problem with these prior art carry-on cases exists in that it is impractical, if not impossible, to use these cases as a support upon which to stack additional pieces of luggage without special devices or attachment hooks.
An improved carry-on case was developed and is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,289. This case includes an extendable handle assembly which allows the case to be towed in a truck position with luggage stacked upon it. The pivot for the handle assembly is a rod that is retained in a transverse channel formed in the lid of the case. This channel decreased the internal space of the carry-on case.
The prior art case in U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,289 may also be susceptible to damage at its end wall when the case was in the truck position supporting other luggage or cases. In its truck position, the case can be pulled up over curbs or through swinging doorways where the Year end wall of the case is exposed to scratching, scuffing and being dented.